Rock City hosted an announcement on Friday, to celebrate its 85th anniversary and family legacy with partners from Children’s Hospital at Erlanger and the chosen design firm, Elemi, for its new secret garden tree house project. Pictured: Rock City southern belles and Rocky, left to right, Youngeun Joung, Lauren Dunn, Matt Winget (back) with Elemi; Bill Chapin and Susan Harris with Rock City; Don Mueller and Bruce Komiske with Erlanger.
Rock City announced on Friday, a $300,000 gift over the next three years to Children’s Hospital at Erlanger. As Erlanger has planned the first phase of its Outpatient Center, teams from the hospital and Rock City released a call for bids to design a secret garden tree house to be located on the second floor of this new building and the chosen design team was announced earlier on Friday.
The goal was to engage the creative community in Chattanooga to design and implement the project. Elemi Architecture was selected as the design-led firm for their approach to a sculptural playscape concept with a creative and inclusive space activation where patients and families can connect, engage and enjoy an inspiring outdoor experience. They also chose to collaboratively partner with Branch Technologies, an internationally-recognized 3D printing startup, and PlayCore, an innovative play and recreation company with expertise in play therapy and its health benefits.
“Rock City Gardens celebrates our 85th anniversary this month and we have a legacy of community generosity that spans three generations of ownership,” said Rock City President and COO Susan Harris. “Our founders, Frieda and Garnet Carter, spear-headed important civic, community and arts stewardship on Lookout Mountain and in Chattanooga, and the Chapin family has continued and grown those investments through the years. Investing in the new children’s hospital is an honor, and we are excited to be able to partner with the team at Erlanger and Elemi to create a space of healing for the children and families in our region.”
Children’s Hospital at Erlanger CEO Don Mueller said, “We are very excited to have a Chattanooga landmark program associated with the new Children’s Hospital. We have worked with our patients, families, doctors and nurses to insure our new hospital is reflective of this community. Nothing says Chattanooga stronger than Rock City!”
Erlanger has planned the new 90,000-square foot Outpatient Center to break ground on June 6, to be completed in approximately 18 months. The tree house exhibit “secret entrance” is designated for the 1,100-square foot terrace to be enjoyed by patients, families and staff.
Officials said, "As the only medical center in the Chattanooga and tri-state region devoted solely to children, Children’s Hospital at Erlanger provides the best in children’s healthcare by viewing the world from a unique perspective of children and understanding what they need."
Children’s Hospital is a Comprehensive Regional Pediatric Center, the highest designation in the state for pediatrics. The hospital offers a full range of pediatric subspecialists which include cardiologists, oncologists, urologists, neurologists, and orthopedics as well as a pediatric ER, ICU, and Level III neonatal intensive care unit, providing the highest level of care in the region for premature and sick infants.